Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method that controls fix levels in a printing apparatus.
Presently, image output devices, such as printers, multifunction media devices, xerographic machines, ink jet printers, flexographic printing machines, lithographic printing machines, and other devices produce images on media sheets, such as paper, substrates, transparencies, plastic, labels, or other media sheets. To produce an image, marking material, such as toner, ink jet ink, or other marking material, is applied to a media sheet to create a marking material latent image on the media sheet. A fuser assembly then affixes or fuses the marking material latent image to the media sheet by applying heat and/or pressure to the media sheet.
Fuser assemblies apply pressure using rotational members, such as fuser rolls or belts, that are coupled to each other at a fuser nip. Pressure is applied to the media sheet with the marking material latent image as the media sheet is fed through the fuser nip to affix the marking material to the media sheet.
Unfortunately, in many electrophotographic systems, a failure mode occurs when marking material is not adequately fixed to the media sheet. These failures are associated with batch-to-batch variations in manufactured marking material, variations in manufactured media, and other factors. One countermeasure is to select fuser setpoints to handle the worse inputs. Another countermeasure is to allow operator input on the media type to enable the control system to select improved fuser setpoints, for example, higher fusing temperature for heavy weight media. However, these countermeasures are inefficient and do not consistently maintain adequate fix level performance in the field.
Thus, there is a need for an apparatus and method that controls fix levels in a printing apparatus.